Handheld Pharmaceutical Counter with Rotating Drive Part
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handheld devices for dispensing pharmaceutical substances lack an efficient and easily designed counter mechanism that effectively rotates to count doses during dispensing, often requiring complex drive parts and axial motions.
Innovation Solution
A counter mechanism where the acting part is rotationally moved and connected to the drive part, with a guide section seated on a stationary pin, allowing for a rotational motion that is transmitted to the substance container, and featuring a shaped gear section for cooperation with a gear part to realize rotational motion, enabling accurate dose counting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drive part is realized as part of the stationary rotational axis with complex gear mechanisms, then the counter function is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rotational motion requirement from the stationary rotational axis and transfers it to the drive part, which rotates about a moving axis. This separates the counting function from the dispensing mechanism, allowing the drive part to rotate independently while the rotational axis remains stationary, thereby simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the drive part rotate about a stationary axis as in conventional counters, the patent inverts the approach by having the drive part rotate about a moving axis that moves with the drive part itself. This inversion simplifies the mechanical connection between the drive part and the counter wheel.
2Ease of manufacture
If the acting part is axially moved only, then the structure is simple, but the rotational motion transmission to the counter wheel becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the axial motion of the acting part with the rotational motion of the drive part through a direct mechanical connection. The acting part is integrated with the drive part such that axial displacement of the acting part directly causes rotation of the drive part, merging two motion types into a single integrated mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the one-dimensional axial motion of the acting part into two-dimensional rotational motion of the drive part by establishing a mechanical coupling where axial displacement drives rotational movement. This dimensional transformation is achieved through the integrated structure of the acting and drive parts.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are used for the drive part and acting part, then the design flexibility is high, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the acting part and drive part into a single integrated component that can be manufactured as one piece, for example through injection molding. This integration maintains design flexibility while significantly simplifying manufacturing and assembly processes, as the two parts are produced as a single unit rather than requiring separate manufacturing and assembly steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A counter for a handheld device for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance includes at least one counter wheel having legible characters. The counter wheel is rotatable about a rotational axis, and a drive part having a shaped engagement section rotates the counter wheel. An acting part, displaceable relative to the counter wheel in the direction of extension of the rotational axis against a spring force, is connected to and rotates together with the drive part. A base part which can form a part of the housing and can be inserted into the housing at least partly overlaps the substance container in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the substance container, and has a stationary rotational axis for the counter wheel, the drive part preferably being guided in the rotational axis. The drive part is located on the side of the substance container with respect to the counter wheel.